Sound Advice and a Warning From President Obama...

President Obama's even steady influence certainly is needed by the Democratic party. A party that is wading into the deep and troubling waters of socialism/communism. Communism is a total failure and socialism has its problem with extremism every bit as much as conservatism does. Lets hope President Obama can exert enough moderating influence to insure Trump's defeat in November 2020.

He hasn't put his thumb on the scale for any one candidate in particular. But in two different speeches this month, he has made clear that presidential hopefuls would be wise to avoid moving too far to the left if they hope to win back the White House in 2020.

Some party strategists and operatives say that by throwing the weight of his legacy and influence into the simmering ideological debate between the Democratic Party's progressive and moderate wings, the former president has the potential to reshape the dynamics of the primary race.

His latest remarks came last week as Obama met with party donors in California, where he urged Democrats to "chill out" about the primary contest and prepare to rally behind the eventual nominee. But he also appeared to warn against calling for too drastic of change.

"When you listen to the average voter - even ones who aren't stalwart Democrats, but who are more independent or are low-information voters - they don't feel that things are working well, but they're also nervous about changes that might take away what little they have," Obama said.

For some Democrats, Obama's remarks reinforced their concerns that the primary field has lurched too far to the left and that the party may be barreling toward a loss in 2020 unless it can unite behind a moderate nominee capable of appealing to a broader swath of voters in the general election.

"I think that to some extent Obama is the canary in the coal mine," said Dick Harpootlian, a former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party who is supporting former Vice President Joe Biden's presidential bid.

"He's warning Democrats that if you buy an agenda that is not relevant or salable in November, you're guaranteeing Donald Trump a second term."

Hope for  the best, that the party listens to Obama's warnings, or PREPARE for another Trump victory followed by MORE ultra conservative judicial appointments.

THINK ABOUT IT!

More BELOW the FOLD

Happy Thanksgiving!...

Happy Thanksgiving to all as we count our many blessing and look forward to continued success and prosperity in 2020

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2019 occurs on Thursday, November 28. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

Thanksgiving Becomes a National Holiday

As the Impeachment Inquiry Drags on the List for Possible Articles of Impeachment Could Grow...

Possible, as well as likely, articles of impeachment #45 could have brought against him by the House of Representatives.

A growing work in progress (as of 10/17/2019).

Violation of Constitution on Domestic Emoluments
Violation of Constitution on Foreign Emoluments
Incitement of Violence
Interference With Voting Rights
Discrimination Based On Religion
Illegal War
Illegal Threat of Nuclear War
Abuse of Pardon Power
Obstruction of JusticePoliticizing ProsecutionsCollusion Against the United States with a Foreign GovernmentFailure to Reasonably Prepare for or Respond to Hurricanes Harvey and Maria
Separating Children and Infants from FamiliesIllegally Attempting to Influence an Election
Tax Fraud and Public Misrepresentation
Assaulting Freedom of the Press
Supporting a Coup in Venezuela
Unconstitutional Declaration of Emergency
Instructing Border Patrol to Violate the LawRefusal to Comply With Subpoenas
Declaration of Emergency Without Basis In Order to Violate the Will of CongressIllegal Proliferation of Nuclear Technology
Illegally Removing the United States from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
Seeking to Use Foreign Governments' Resources Against Political Rivals
Refusal to Comply with Impeachment Inquiry

Our nation and its people deserve by far better than Trump is willing or able to give. His efforts at undermining our free and independent press, our institutions, the rule of law, and our Constitution is unequaled in the history of the United States of America. With the single exception of The War Between the States. The Union prevailed because its cause was JUST and RIGHT.

Just as today impeachment of #45 is both JUST and RIGHT.

Dive BELOW the FOLD for text discussing the above possible article of impeachment.

ht: Progressive Eruptions 

Bigotry and White Supremacist in Key Position in White House...

The  letter below was written and sent to Donald J. Trump demanding he remove Stephen Miller from his position as Trump's senior advisor. While it is unlikely Trump will act to remove, the request (demand) is totally proper. There is no place for bigotry, racism, hate, white supremacists, or neo-Nazis in our government. 

All Americans who find the rhetoric of Stephen Miller, and DJT for that matter, reprehensible and unacceptable should take action in anyway possible for them to make their voices heard. Loud and clear.

Bad people and bad policy succeed when good people do nothing.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

November 18, 2019

The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States, and the undersigned entities, we write to demand the removal of Stephen Miller from his position as your senior advisor.

Supporters of white supremacists and neo-Nazis should not be allowed to serve at any level of government, let alone in the White House. Stephen Miller has stoked bigotry, hate, and division with his extreme political rhetoric and policies throughout his career. The recent exposure of his deep-seated racism provides further proof that he is unfit to serve and should immediately leave his post.

In his role as your senior advisor, Stephen Miller has promoted hate speech spewed from neo-Nazis, bigots, and white supremacists. His advancement of white nationalist ideology has resulted in policies — and violent acts — that actively harm immigrants, people of color, and marginalized communities. These policies include the devastating Muslim ban, efforts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, a ban on transgender people serving in the military, and the family separation policy that has led to the cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrant families in detention centers throughout our nation. The heightened anti-immigrant and anti-minority sentiments driving the policies of this administration are undoubtedly linked to the alarming rise of hate crimes and the highest number of hate-fueled murders in recent history. Stephen Miller’s racist, deadly agenda is contributing to this violence and must be stopped.

Stephen Miller represents white supremacy, violent extremism, and hate — all ideologies that are antithetical to the fundamental values that guide our democracy. Allowing him to remain a White House advisor is a betrayal of our national ideals of justice, inclusion, and fairness. We call on you to halt your own hateful actions and rhetoric and remove all hate enthusiasts from the administration.

Unless and until you fire Stephen Miller — and all who promulgate bigotry — and abandon your administration’s anti-civil rights agenda, you will continue to be responsible for the violence fueled by that hate.

Sincerely,

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

List of coalition members BELOW the FOLD

Our President, a Man for the Middle Class... Really?

America's present political system is not exactly the system our founders had in mind. I say this not because the framework itself  is corrupted. Rather the system has been corrupted by the influence of  big money and special interests.

Donald Trump was elected to office with populist support. One of his selling points was that he was behind the middle class and he had their back. And, he did give that middle class tax cut that folks appreciated. But they were set to expire in what, 5 years? Still what's good now is god now. The future is the future.

With Trump having your back middle America he proceeded to sign into law a corporate tax rate reduction to 21%. And he made it PERMANENT.

BTW, do ya'all remember that Trump, who has your back middle America, promised to get rid of the ACA and REPLACE IT with a really good plan? Well, we're still waiting. Right?

Meantime A significant amount of your fellow Americans (and perhaps you as well) remain without good AND affordable health care insurance. But remember, Trump has your back. As American corporations and multi billionaires rake in the really big benefits of lower taxes an expensive total  health care.

More later folks...

Is America Capable of Finding American Values Again and Renewing the Moral Authority It Once Had?...

We are living in strange and interesting times. Whether they are more interesting than strange is, of course, up to the individual to determine for themselves.

It has been told (by the media and think tanks etc.), and generally accepted, that America is a center-right nation. Which is very plausible because we are a pragmatic bunch and usually prefer the go slow and show me approach. As opposed to the lets change it because change in and of itself is good approach. Moderate/conservative -vs- Liberal/progressive might be an apt grouping.

What has occurred over the prior 40 years in American politics is interesting as well as strange. Over the preceding 40 years our nation has morphed into essentially two armed political camps. Camps that have solidified around core ideologies of extreme right-wing thought and extreme left-wing thought. Leaving the more moderate and independent thinks in both camps to sort out realities and remained tethered to the same all by themselves.

While the internet and modern communication technologies (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) have brought many improvements they have also unleased a very dark and sinister force all across the globe. It is quite possible the dark and sinister forces may very well overshadow any good the internet and its technology unleased.

It is now possible for anyone with a creative streak and excellent communication/argumentative skills to design and develop blogs, websites, and misinformation sites that skew the truth and spread falsehoods and conspiracy theories 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It is the high speed highway on which disinformation that can destroy reputations and change the legitimate outcome of elections can occur as a result.

Unfortunately, as much as we might like to believe otherwise, American politicians and government officials (elected as well as appointed) are somehow above soliciting or using such nefarious misinformation to advance personal agendas such is not the case. Even an American president has learned and effective utilized Twitter to spread misleading or false information about his opponents and those he perceives as his enemies.

While politics has always been a rough and tumble sport of competing ideas, both practical and ideological, the modern political environment is unique. Unique in that over the preceding 40 years our political parties have gradually and steadily placed party and party ideology above country and SOLVING problems affecting ALL Americans. For this our nation and its people, ALL of its people, have suffered. Suffered the loss of the moral and ethical high ground.

President Donald J. Trump MUST be given due credit for our expanding economy. The jobs it has created. The declining level of unemployment. As well as any and all trappings that accrue as a result of his stewardship of the economy.

But there is more, much more , to good and proper governance in our Democratic Republic than just stewarding a strong economy. America was great in part BECAUSE of its moral and ethical superiority over authoritarian and dictatorial regimes of the world. Our moral  and ethical leadership was a guiding light for many across the globe. For those who wrongly believe that morals and ethics are trumped by economics and winning at any and all costs  all we can say is YOU are WRONG.

A special shout out to Silverfiddle. Hope this answers the baited question you tossed out over on that right-wing trumper site you co-author on.

More later folks.

The Mafioso Mentality of a President...

“I value loyalty above everything else—more than brains, more than drive and more than energy,” Trump wrote in his 2007 book “Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life.”

Like an Italian Mafioso Don Trump knows that unflinching loyalty is the singularly most important job requirement of a capo. And, like the Mafioso Don he is relentless in his demand for it. 

The Washington Post - THE BIG IDEA: President Trump expects unflinching loyalty from those who work for him. The price of that loyalty can be quite high. So, too, can the costs of perceived disloyalty.

A demand for devotion has been a recurring theme in almost every major scandal that has dogged and distracted this White House. “I need loyalty, I expect loyalty,” Trump told then-FBI Director James Comey during a private dinner soon after taking office, according to Comey’s sworn testimony.

Sometimes it seems like no amount of loyalty is enough. With the exceptions of the daughter and son-in-law he installed in top White House posts, this famously transactional president seems to hold a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately view of power that has led him to cast aside longtime associates when he’s decided they’ve outlived their usefulness to him.

Wednesday brought six fresh illustrations of the culture and the consequences for some in his orbit.

Continue on BELOW the FOLD for more of the story.

As the Nation Begins Watching Impeachment Proceedings the GOP Rolls Out Its Clown Car Act...

Trump's misguided and dishonest sycophantic supporters in the GOP, as well as his holier than thou hypocritical Evangelical cheerleaders are all about distractions, lies, and conspiracy theory in support of the man they love. All in the belief the narcissistic and immoral man they support is somehow America's savior selected by God. Something all sane folks know instinctively is pure delusional thinking.

THEBULWARK - As the House opened the first public impeachment hearings on Tuesday, we’ve already previewed a key line in Trump’s defense: the attempted character assassination of impeachment witnesses. With the president, it’s always a game of loyalties, and if you’re not with him, you’re tainted. The whistleblower is a “partisan hack”; Ambassador Bill Taylor is a “Never Trumper”; and Never Trumpers are “human scum.” The federal government is saturated with dangerous “Obama holdovers” and “career bureaucrats” loyal to the dangerous “administrative state.”

The attacks on Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman in recent weeks seem to have marked a low point. Vindman is, by all accounts, a man of integrity. He’s a decorated officer, diplomat, and scholar, with a rather incredible immigration story. But for the Trump crowd he’s just another “Never Trumper”—one who, thanks to his having been born elsewhere, they’re also happy to smear as a possible double-agent.

On the whole, these attacks confirm a lot that we already know about Trump and the Republicans who continue to support him—about, for example, their operative paranoia and their cynical reduction of politics to tribal self-interest.

But the smears also reveal and exploit a key vulnerability in our broader political culture: They leverage deep confusions about the very possibility of sound political judgment, and assume that Americans will be unable to form reasonable judgments about different kinds of loyalty. In other words, the attacks demonstrate Republicans’ willingness to kowtow to the same postmodern relativism that they profess to dislike so much.

I’m certainly not the first to point to a connection between Trumpism and postmodernism. (Aaron Hanlon wrote about it in 2018, and Sean Illing does a great job explaining the complicated character of the relationship in this recent piece.) Postmodernism is difficult to define but these days it’s usually deployed to label leftists who question the idea of eternal moral truths and standards. Setting aside the issue of postmodernism’s genuine meaning and value, it’s easy to show how the attacks on the impeachment witnesses are cultivating genuinely nihilistic terrain.

Once conservative and GOP politics and philosophy had vision and integrity. They no longer do. As a result neither conservatism or the GOP has even an once of credibility.Nor does the American arm of  Evangelicalism.

Complete article BELOW the FOLD

The Alternative To Biden, Sanders, Warren,and the Rest...

“This will be a presidency where you can turn on the news, look at the White House and feel your blood pressure go down a little bit instead of up through the roof.” 

Pete Buttigeigh 2019

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind.

(Associated Press)

Wow! How very refreshing such a calming reassuring presence would be following the 4 years of chaotic, inept, anti American, and criminally corrupt "leadership" of Donald J. Trump.

It is not too late to correct the grave and disastrously misguided mistake of 2016. Trump CAN be defeated. But ONLY if middle America turns out to vote in RECORD numbers to lampoon the narcisisstic hopes of Trump for reelection.

America remains a center to slightly right of center nation. She is far from ready for the Sanders or Warren Medicare for All multi trillion dollar plans. No matter how one slices and dices the proposals they will not fly. Nor should anyone want them to. Like all federal feel good programs it WILL ballom out of control sooner or later. Probably sooner.

Soaking the wealthy is not the answer to providing effective and affordable health care for all. But it does  continue to perpetuate the class warfare that our nation has been engaged in for most of us our adult live. Increasing taxes on corporate America to pre Trump levels and ELIMINATING all loopholes that are currently in place that allow the wealthy and uber wealthy to avoid paying their fair share is a better path.

It's early yet, but Pete Buttigieg is the candidate that has consistently made sense. He is the one candidate that possibly has the ability to unite a coalition of various interest groups to take down America's most corrupt and divisive president in modern history. With the right individual at the helm the sky would be the limit. Buttigeigh, with his intelligence and education, military experience, municipal government background, his policy leanings, and his relative youth all make Mayor Pete a candidate well worth seriously considering. I know I am.

Please be sure to read the linked article.

https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-11-10/pete-buttigieg-rising-alternative-biden-warren

Trump, Evangelicals, and the GOP... You Have No Decency and Zero Credibilty

Impeachment... An Excercise in Futility With Today's Anti Anerican GOP...

What follows is likely the scenario on, and end result of, impeaching Donald J. Trump. Odds are probably less than zero that the Senate's cultist Trump republicans would vote for removal of the most corrupt president of modern times.

It is sad indeed. But understand this is no longer your parents or grandparents America. And if Trump is not removed and is reelected, a distivt possibility, America will never ever be that America again.

A time when America really was GREAT.

The evidence against Trump is overwhelming. This Ukraine quid pro quo wasn’t just a single reckless phone call. It was a multiprong several-month campaign to use the levers of American power to destroy a political rival.

Republican legislators are being bludgeoned with this truth in testimony after testimony. They know in their hearts that Trump is guilty of impeachable offenses. It’s evident in the way they stare glumly at their desks during hearings; the way they flee reporters seeking comment; the way they slag the White House off the record. It’ll be hard for them to vote to acquit if they can’t even come up with a non-ludicrous rationale.

And yet when you get outside Washington it’s hard to imagine more than one or two G.O.P. senators voting to convict.

In the first place, Democrats have not won widespread public support. Nancy Pelosi always said impeachment works only if there’s a bipartisan groundswell, and so far there is not. Trump’s job approval numbers have been largely unaffected by the impeachment inquiry. Support for impeachment breaks down on conventional pro-Trump/anti-Trump lines. Roughly 90 percent of Republican voters oppose it. Republican senators will never vote to convict in the face of that.

Second, Democrats have not won over the most important voters — moderates in swing states. A New York Times/Siena College survey of voters in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin found that just 43 percent want to impeach and remove Trump from office, while 53 percent do not. Pushing impeachment makes Democrats vulnerable in precisely the states they cannot afford to lose in 2020.

Third, there is little prospect these numbers will turn around, even after a series of high-profile hearings.

I’ve been traveling pretty constantly since this impeachment thing got going. I’ve been to a bunch of blue states and a bunch of red states (including Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah). In coastal blue states, impeachment comes up in conversation all the time. In red states, it never comes up; ask people in red states if they’ve been talking about it with their friends, they shrug and reply no, not really.

Prof. Paul Sracic of Youngstown State University in Ohio told Ken Stern from Vanity Fair that when he asked his class of 80 students if they’d heard any conversation about impeachment, only two said they had. When he asked if impeachment interested them, all 80 said it did not.

Full article BELOW the FOLD.